SA rewrites governing documents

The Students’ Association is clarifying their bylaws, Rules of Order and the SA Constitution for future members of the organization and the ACU community.

“What is most important to us is that, moving forward, we are able to leave SA better than we found it,” said Beau Carter, SA president. “When it comes to governing documents, this is what we run off of. So it is really important to us that they are clear and that they are effective.”

Carter, a junior political science major from Farmer’s Branch, said SA ran into a few clarity issues during budget season, specifically in their bylaws and Rules of Order, and hope to fine tune any technicalities that were previously overlooked.

“We wanted to add some things that would make it more understandable to not only people in Congress, but when it comes down to budget meeting time, people that are outside of Congress can better understand what they can or can’t do in a meeting when funds are being appropriated,” Carter said.

The SA Constitution governs over the bylaws and the Rules of Order as the overarching framework. Carter said if something doesn’t check out with the bylaws and the Rules of Order, it goes to the Constitution, so it is important to SA that everything is clear.

“We want to not only make sure that the small things are working through the Constitution to sustain and make sure we have a flow of productivity but also how we can better serve the student body through how SA functions,” Carter said.

Currently, the Rules of Order are not catered to ACU. Congress wants the documents to look more like federal governing documents.

Savannah Hostetter, executive administrator, said SA believes it is important for the documents to be precise, because one word can change the whole interpretation of the document.

“Something I really am passionate about is making sure that all our governing documents connect together,” said Hostetter, a senior political science major from Brownsville.

A two-thirds majority in SA Congress is required for these new changes and amendments to pass. An amendment requires an additional majority vote among the whole student body in order to become official.

The Students’ Association is working so these changes to the bylaws and Rules of Order will be finished before their annual Changing of the Guard.

Carter said any amendments voted through by Congress would appear on the ballot for the spring election.